The Spectator to double print for U.S. edition
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Magazine covers for the world edition of The Spectator. Photos: Courtesy of The Spectator
The Spectator's U.S. edition plans to double its print output to 24 issues annually as part of a broader relaunch this fall, its deputy editor Kate Andrews tells Axios.
Why it matters: It's part of an industrywide print revival in the U.S. as publishers look for more ways to upsell jaded digital advertisers in the AI era.
- It also comes after other U.K.-based publishers like The Guardian, Reach, Financial Times, Hello! magazine, The Sun and The Daily Mail look to expand deeper into the U.S.
Zoom in: For The Spectator, which launched a U.S. print version in 2019, reader demand for more print products has been significant, per Andrews.
- "We find that when we offer print as part of a package (or events for our subscribers), it tends to attract new readers," Andrews said.
- In addition to doubling its subscription print offering, The Spectator U.S. will also bring its print product to newsstands this fall.
Between the lines: For advertisers, subscription print magazines offer a highly engaged audience that's hard to come by in the AI era.
- Like other digital-first outlets, The Spectator U.S. has seen advertising demand increase as the digital universe becomes crowded.
- "We do find that in marketing, some kind of print product helps us in every other aspect," Andrews said, referring to the ability to upsell advertisers.
Zoom out: Andrews said the outlet has upsized its New York and Washington, D.C., offices in preparation for a significant increase in hiring and events.
- Hedge fund billionaire Paul Marshall bought The Spectator last year and said in the announcement that the plan is "to make good previous underinvestment in one of the world's great titles."
The big picture: Several publishers, including The Onion, The Cut, Complex, Nylon, Spin, Us Weekly, Swimming World, Sports Illustrated, Saveur and Ebony, have all launched or relaunched print editions amid reader and advertiser demand.
- Even brands, such as Microsoft, Hinge and Costco, have all turned to print magazines to engage with hard-to-reach audiences.
- AARP has long championed this strategy and is one of the most widely distributed print titles in the country.
Editor's note: This story was updated with additional details.
